Shaft-bending machine.



Patented. lan'. |90l. f

No. 6s5,|7e.

. J. N. CHAPMAN.-

SHAFT BENDING MACHINE.

(Applieaton Bled Sept. 29, 1900.) A (No ModeL) 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

0\ w lllH No. 665,|79. Patented 1an. l, mol, g

J. N. CHAPMAN.

SHAFT BENDING MACHINE.

l(Application led Sept. 29, 1900.1

N W EMU@ I THE' Norms PETERS cu.4 Puurcxm'uo.A wAsHmmoN. D. c.

Patented lan. l, |90I.

' (Application led Sept. 29, 1900.1 (No Model .4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

No. 665,|79. Patented 1an. 19m.

J. N. CHAPMAN.

SHAFT BENDING MACHINE.

(Application meg sepa. 29, 1900.- (No Model. 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 M7 assas.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES N. CHAPMAN, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

SHAFT-BENDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 665,179, dated January 1, 1901. Appleman tied septembe- 29, 1900. seran No. 31,470. (No maar.:

It is the object of my invention to provide an improved machine adapted for bending carriage or buggy shafts of diierent length and thickness and also for bendingshaft-heels of different length and curvatureand at the same time to perform the Work in less time than has been usually vrequired for the purpose.

The construction, arrangement, and operation of parts are as hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of the main portion of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a side view of the remaining portion of the machine, which forms in practice an extension of the portion showninFig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end view of the machine. Fig. 4 is a plan view thereof.` Fig. v5 is a side view of the main portion of the machine, showing the same adjusted for bending long shafts. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the mechanism for shifting and locking the side clamps of the machine which are applied to the outer sides of the shafts. Fig. 7 is a transverse section on the line VII VII of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is an end view of the means for bending the shaft-heels. Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section on the line IX IX of Fig. 8. Fig. l0 is a vertical section on the line X X of Fig. 11. Fig. 11 is a longitudinal section on the line XI XI of Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a sectional View showing the yoke attached to the levers which operate the lever of the heel-formers. Fig. 13 is a vertical cross-section on the line XIII XIII of Fig. 12.

Referring in the first instance to Fig. 1, the numeral 1 indicates the longitudinal portion of the bench or frame proper of the'machine. As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, this frame is provided with a slidable extension top plate 2, which, as shown in Fig. 10, has a dovetail 'connection with the main portion of the benchtop. `The part 2 is reciprocated lby means of racks 4, which engage gears 6, fixed on a rotatable shaft 7. The said shaft is provided with a Worm-wheel 9, that meshes with the worm' on the shaft 11. lAs shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 5, the shaft 11 is supported in bearings 13, 15, and 21 and carries a series of pulleys 16, 17, and 18, on which run the open belt 19 and the cross-belt 20. A slidable bar 23 (see Fig. 2) serves for shifting the belts as required for reversing the rotation of the shaft 11. A sleeve 12 (see Figs. 1, 2, and 5) is applied to the shaft 1.1 between the bearing and worm 10 for the purpose of receiving the thrust of the worm while operating the gear 9. The slidable top 2 is provided with a hook 29, to which the strap 26 is attached by means of a ring 27. The said strap is attached to the heel of the curved heel-former, and the shaft to be bent is inserted and held between these parts. In Fig. 9 the numeral 34 indicates the abutment on the heel-strap 26, against which.

the shaft-heel 51 is placedV when the same is to be bent. I showin Fig. 9 a means for holding the shaft-heel former in the bent position, the same consisting of the rod 36, which is attached to the abutment 34 and also to a hook 37 on a rack-bar which is adapted to engage a fixed bar 38, arranged on the shaft-former 6H. This rack-bar is secured in any desired adjustment by means of a pivoted eccentric having a handle 39.

As is apparent from the drawings, there are two shaft-heel formers and two side clamps 52, so that two shafts are bentsim ultaneously. The levers 24, which operate the heel-formers, have a slidable connection with the levers 30, which are mounted on the cross-shaft 42. 'lhe means for forming such slidable connection is the slotted oval yoke 3l, (see Fig. 12,) to which the free ends of the aforesaid levers are pivotally connected. The lever-arms are provided with holes 40 and 41 (see Figs. 1 and 5) to accommodate the position of the yoke 31 as required for bending short and long shafts. The yoke 3l is provided interiorly with` two positive antit'riction-rollers 33, (see Fig. 13,) between which the leverarms 24 of the heel-former slide, as represented. A worm-wheel 43 is mounted on the shaft 42 (see Figs. 1 and 5) and engages a worm 44 on a shaft extending parallel with the lower bar or sill of the frame and having bearings 45. A clutch 46 is adapted to slide on the said shaft and to engage either ofbthe pulleys 47, which are run by belts 48 and 49. The said clutch 46 is shifted as required by means of a bar 50, provided with a handle, as shown. It is apparent that by pushing or pulling on the handle-bar 50 the clutch 46 may be carried into engagement with either pulley 47, whereby the worm 44 will be caused to rotate in one direction or the other as required to throw the levers 30 in one direction or the other for bending the shaft-heels or for releasing them, as the case may be.

The shafts to be bent are laid on the bench with their inner sidesin contact with the main former 69 and the tip-former 96. (See Fig. 4.) The said tip-former 96 is adapted for adjustment between the shaft ends by means of a Screw-shaft 98, workingin a screw-block 97, and provided at the end of the machine with a pulley 99, on which runs a belt 100. lt is apparent that by means of this belt and pulley the shaft 98 may be rotated for rapidly shifting the tip-former 96 as may be required. When the tip-former 96 has been pushed in to the required degree, it may be secured in such position by means of the ratchet-bar 101 and eccentric 103. (See Figs. 4and 5.) The ratchet-bar 101 is secured to the inner end of the tip-former 96 and slides beneath the eecentric 103, which is pivoted in a stand 102, secured on the main former 69. The said ratchet-bar 101 automatically engages teeth formed on the stand 102. The tip-clamps 93 are hinged at 94 to the tip-former 96, and the hinges are adapted to abut the ends of the shafts, as shown. By means of the rotatable screw-shaft 98, the tip-former 96, and the hinges 94 the shafts receive the required upset, by which term is meant the pressure required to be applied to the shafts forpressing the grain ofthe wood and holding them lirmly, so as to prevent the shivering of the tips or heels of the shafts while the bending operation is being completed. The tip-shafts 93 are operated--that is, forced inward-by means ot' lever-arms 8l, (see Figs. 1 and 4,) which carry antifriction-rollers at their inner ends and are fixed on vertical shafts 83. The said shafts are provided with bevel-gears 85, that mesh with smaller gears 86, mounted on a transverse shaft having a large gear S7, that meshes with a gear on the adjacent shaft 88. The latter has a iiange-pulley 89, on which runs a belt 90. It is apparent that by driving the belt 90 in one direction or another the shafts 83 will be rotated correspondingly and the lever-arms S1 thereby thrown inward or outward, as desired. For the purpose of effecting this operation when required I provide a belt-tightener (see Figs. 1 and 5) comprising the Harige-pulley 91, adapted to run in contact with the belt 90 and journaled in a pivoted elbow hanger or lever having a treadle-arm 92. 'lhe operation is obvious.

For the purpose ot' imparting the required bend to the middle portion of the shafts 51 I employ side forms or clamps, which consist of [iat plates having dilferent lengths. Thus,

for short shafts I employ the clamps 52 (shown in Figs. 1 and 7) and for longer shafts the longer clamps 52. (Shown in Figs. 4 and 5.) As shown, the clamps consist in both cases of iat plates having the requisite curve on the inner side. The means for adjusting the clamps toward or from the shafts 51 and for locking them in position when in contact with the shafts is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. side clamps are attached to slotted blocks 56 by means of pins 53, that pass through them vertically. The said blocks 56 slide in grooves formed in blocks 57, suit-ably arranged in the bench. In order to permit the clamps 52 or 52 to be adjusted in or out to accommodate the shafts of different thickness, I provide pieces 54, which are arranged in slots in the clam ps-that is to say, small metal pieces or blocks ranging from one-sixteenth inch to one-half inch in thickness are placed in the slots, and by placing them on one side or the other of the pins 53 the clamps 52 or 52 may be adjusted as required relative to the former 69 to space them at different distances therefrom.

There are two sets of blocks 56, which are connected by curved arms to rotatable heads or levers 61 (see Fig. 6) on opposite sides ofthe pivots of said heads. These heads 61 have journals 62, which are arranged in boxes 63. (See Fig. 7.) The said heads are also provided with arms 66 and 68, which are in turn connected by rods 67. 'lhearm 66 is practically part of a mutilated gear 64, which meshes with a smaller mutilated gear 65, the latter being provided with a curved lever-arm 66. The mechanism shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is arranged beneath the benchtop in such relation to the clamps that by oscillating the lever 66 the heads 61 will be rotated a part of a revolution and the curved arm 60 thereby caused to bring the blocks 56 nearer each other or separate them more widely, as the case may be, and thereby the clam ps 52 01'52 are moved correspondingly toward or from the shafts 51 to be bent. It will be further seen that when the lever 66 is carried to a certain position the curved arms 60 may be thrown into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, and their pivotal connections with the heads 61 will be thrown in such position that the blocks 56 will be locked. By this means the clamps 52 01'52n may be held locked against the shafts for the required length of time.

When shafts are to be bent, the form 69 is placed upon the bench proper and butts against the projection 71, after which the shafts are placed on the form, as shown in Fig. 4. The shafts require to be secured or held down, and for this purpose a rod 108, pivoted at 109, is thrown across them and the form 69, as shown in Fig. 4, and secured at its free end by means of a catch. In the case of short shafts a catch 106 is employed; but in case of long shafts the catch 104 is em ployed, (see Fig. 1,) these two catches being The i IOO IIO

arranged at different distances from the heelformer, as shown. Each of these catches has a right-angular form, the vertical arm being slotted to receive a clamp-screw which passes through the keeper 105. The rod 108 is engaged by the horizontal arm of the catch, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. It is obvious that the catches 104 and 106 may be adjusted vertically according as required for the different thickness of the shafts.

In bending short shafts the machine is arranged as shown in Fig. 1. The form 96 being placed on the bench, it butts against the projection 71, after`which the shafts are put in place, as shown in Fig. 4. Then the rod 108 is thrown across the shafts and the form and fastened by the catch 106. Then the belt 100 is started, which puts the proper upset into the shafts, after which `the rod 50 is operated to shift the clutch 46, and thus start the worm-wheel 43, so as to rotate or swing the lever-arms 30, and thereby raise the heelformer 24 and carry it over into the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5. This ben ds and forms the heels of the shafts. .At the same time the treadle 92 is operated to tighten the belt 90, and thereby swing the lever-arms 81 inward, so as to frce the tip-clamps 93 into the position shown in Fig. 4, and therebyimpart the required shape to the shaft-tips. Also the curved lever-arm 66`is pulled around to operate the mechanism shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and thereby draw the side clam ps 52 up against the shafts, so as to press them tightly against the former 69. In the above-described operation the tip-former 96 may be locked by the ratchet 101 and eccentric 103,and the heelformer may also be locked, as shown in Figs. 5 and 9, by means of the rod 36, the rack-bar, and the eccentric 39.

The machine is adapted for bending shafts varying in length from one-fourth inch to forty-eight inches. In order to adjust the machine for bending longer shafts, the beltshifter 23 (see Fig.`2,) is shoved backward, which causes the shaft 11 to be rotated in the direction required for the worm l0 and wheel 9 to move the top 2 back the required distance. The abutment 71 maybe adjusted as required for short orlong shafts. For this purpose it is attached to a slide 72, (see Fig.10,) whose under side is provided with rack-teeth that engage the worm-wheel 73, which is operated by a worm 74 on a shaft 75. The latter has its bearings in the block 77, Fig. 11, and the ped- .estal 77a (see Fig. 3) and is provided with a band-pulley 79,0n which runs abelt, as shown. It is obvious that by running the belt in one direction or the other the shaft 75 will be rotated correspondingly and the rack-bar 72, with its fixed abutment 71, will be shifted forward or backward as required for shafts of different length. The changes may be made in less than one minute, and the bench is then ready for bending shafts of any length. The operation is substantially as before described.

By this machine two shafts are bent simultaneously and the heels are formed upon any required radius by means of the adjustable device for locking the heel former. The time required for bending the shafts is about one minute, and since the change required for adapt-ing the machine for shafts of different length is about one minute it is obvious that the capacity of the machine is very great.

The clamps may be regulated to accommodate shafts of different sizes-that is to say, shafts from one inch to three and a halfinches in width, or a shaft three and a half inches wide may be bent on one side of the former,

while a shaft of but one inch in width may be bent on the other side, whereby a considerable saving of time may often be effected. The shaft-heels may also be formed of any required length, so as to have a drop of from fourto twenty-fl ve inches. This adaptability of the machine for shafts of different lengths and thicknesses and for bending heels of different length and curvature is highly imporltant in practice and, coupled with the adaptability of the machine for rapid adjustment, renders it superior for its purpose.

Having thus fully described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a shaft-bending machine, the combination, with a bench and central former, of side clamps for acting on the shafts, and means for simultaneously adjusting said clamps laterally and securing them in the operative position, the same consisting of two rotatable heads which are arranged horizontally, means for connecting them, and devices connecting said heads with the clamps, whereby, when said heads are rotated, the clamps are simultaneously moved inward and outward, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a shaft-bending machine, the combination, with a bench and a former, of side clamps, rotary heads or levers arranged horizontally and having lateral arms as specified, a rod connecting said arms, curved arms c011- necting the ends of the heads with the clamps, a gear connected with one of the said heads, and means for rotating the said gear, where- IOO IOS

by the clamps are shifted and may be locked in operative position, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a shaft-bending machine, the combination, with a bench, former, and side clamps having slots as specified, of mechanism arranged beneath the former for actuating the clamps, the same comprising rotatable heads, the means for connecting them with the clam ps,and movable blocks arranged in the slots of the clamps to permit shifting the clamps toward or from the former, for accommodating shafts of different widths, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a shaft-bending machine, the combination with the bench proper, of the top 2 ISO.

thereon, racks, pinicns, and shaft for sliding the top, the heel-forming devices pivoted to said top and having a strap 2G which is also secured to the latter, the levers 30, and rotatable means for actuating them, and an adjustable and slidable connection between the outer ends of the levers and heel-formers, as shown and described, all constructed and operating` as shown and described.

5. ln a shaft-bending machine, the combination, with the heel-bender, havinga leverarm as described, and a strap 26 forming part thereof, of the means for holding the bender'in any required adjustment, the same consisting of a rod 36 attached to the head of the bender, and an adjustable rack-bar and locking-eccentric, substantially as shown and described.

6. In a shaft-bending machine, the combination, with the bench, the tip-cla1nps, leverarms for pressing them inward, vertical shafts for operating said arms, gearing for operating the said shafts, a band-Wheel operatively connected with said gearing and a belt running thereon, a belt-tightener having a treadle-arm, whereby the lever-arms may be rotated to carry them inward and outward as required, substantially as shown and described.

7. In a shaft-bending machine, the combination, with the bench and the main former, of the tip-forrner, means for adjusting the same, and the ratchet and eccentric for lockin g the two formers together, substantially as shown and described.

8. ln a shaft-bending machine, the c0rnbination, with the bench, the main former, the tip-former and the ratchet adapted to engage a device on the main former, of the rotatable screw-shaft 98, Working in a screw-block attached to the tip-former, and a belt-pulley on the said shaft to operate as and for the purpose specified.

JAMES N. CHAPMAN.

Vitnesses:

A. M. HOLMES, GEO. E. NEUHARDT. 

